This invention relates to a mounting assembly for an air conditioning terminal, and in particular, to an assembly for releasably connecting a diffuser section in an opening provided between a pair of opposed spaced end walls of the terminal.
In recent times, the utilization of air conditioning terminals mounted in the ceiling of a space to be conditioned has become increasingly prevalent. In particular, in commercial installations such as office buildings, the use of such air conditioning terminals permits the owner of the building to provide conditioned air without diminishing the rentable floor area, as for example occurs when the air conditioning terminals are mounted on the floor of the space being conditioned.
In U.S. Pat. No. 3,591,076, there is disclosed a ceiling terminal that has enjoyed substantial commercial success. The terminal therein disclosed includes a removable diffuser section having a control section in which there is mounted filters, thermostats and volume regulators for controlling the operation of the terminal. The diffuser section further includes an inflatable damper for regulating the quantity of air discharged from the unit. The removability feature of the diffuser section permits the filter to be easily cleaned or replaced and further permits maintenance to be performed as required on the terminal controls. However, if maintenance personnel are not careful in removing the diffuser section, damage might occur to the inflatable damper.
Terminals of the type described are very often mounted in "false" ceiling installations, that is to say, installations wherein acoustical and aesthetically pleasing tiles are suspended beneath the actual ceiling of the space. These tiles are generally removable. Accordingly, some personnel have found it more convenient to push aside some tiles to perform any required maintenance on the controls while the diffuser section is in its normal position in the ceiling installation, rather than to disconnect the diffuser section from the remainder of the air conditioning terminal. The foregoing eliminated any potential damage to the inflatable damper due to the removal of the diffuser section.
In order to minimize manufacturing costs, the elements providing the removability feature of the diffuser section were eliminated, in view of such feature's limited use. In addition, to further decrease manufacturing costs, the diffuser section was separated from the portion of the terminal mounting the inflatable dampers in the manner shown in co-pending application, Ser. No. 447,603, filed Mar. 4, 1974 and assigned to the same assignee as the assignee hereof.
However, it has now been determined, some of the newer installations involve the mounting of such terminals in ceilings made from materials such as cement, stucco, or the like, wherein there is no possibility of gaining access to the control section of the diffuser once the terminal has been fixed in place in the ceiling. Such ceiling installations shall be hereinafter referred to as "permanent" installations. Accordingly, it is again necessary to include elements providing a removability feature for the diffuser section. However, the means of obtaining such feature as disclosed in the aforecited patent is not suitable for use with terminals of the type described in the co-pending application.